Putting an X Through Anxiety: Breaking Free from the Grip of Fear and Stress

by Louie Giglio

God reminds Job, and us, that He’s been in control for a lot longer than we have. He was in control from the very moment He spoke and galaxies were born. He was in control when the earth was formed and when the waters were separated from the dry land. And He was in control from the very nanosecond you were brought into this world.

ask these critical questions: •What (or who) is pulling at my peace of mind? •What situation or fear or potential outcome is making me feel like I need to manage or control things? Once you can name it, you are on the road to freedom; because when you can identify it, you can specifically cast it on Jesus in a meaningful way. You can transfer the weight and concern to His care, knowing He cares about you.

Anxiety and worship cannot exist in the same space. One always displaces the other.

When we get to a place where we can enjoy God and not just obey Him, we know that trust has been formed and faith is shielding us from the giant of anxiety.

anxiety and humility rarely work together.

It’s no secret that a big slice of our anxiety is wrapped up in our relationships with the people around us. There are a thousand thoughts that try to fight their way into our minds with every interaction.

The answer might surprise you because it’s not a step-by-step process or a switch that you suddenly flip. If you want to be someone who is clothed in humility, you’ll need to spend time being with Jesus.

It’s easy to spend a lot of time around Jesus. We hear people talk about Him, we listen to songs that reference Him, and we might even participate in a weekly church gathering. But the Pharisees were around Jesus while He was on earth and they didn’t experience the transformational power of humility and grace.

When we commit our lives to being with Jesus, we begin to act, speak, and think like He did, and we begin to take on humility, which leads us toward a life of peace over anxiety.

I want to look at a practical way we can physically train ourselves to fight back against anxiety.

exercise

what you eat,

stepping back from a toxic ...

Scrip...

couns...

ultimate power in life comes from a relationship with Jesus through the Spirit. I find my strength in Jesus through a connection to His Word—

prayer

wo...

comm...

regulate your breathing.

recognize we are not in control, and

The American Institute of Stress (yes, there is one of those) echoes this view, “Deep breathing increases the supply of oxygen to your brain and stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes a state of calmness. Breathing techniques help you feel connected to your body—it brings your awareness away from the worries in your head and quiets your mind.”1

As you speak that new narrative, you’ll begin to see changes in your walk with God, starting with how you daily interact with and depend on Him.

Proverbs 31 describes a godly woman, and one of the many characteristics named of this woman is that “she laughs at the days to come.” She is not shaken with fear or anxiety at what lies ahead because she knows the One who rules over every day and who will provide her with all that she needs.

You may not say those exact words every time you pray to God, but you can see what He’s saying, right? God has daily provision set aside for you. He’s not saying that God is going to daily give you a loaf of bread, although some of us wouldn’t turn down that gift. He’s saying God will give you nourishment. Supplies for your soul that will strengthen and aid you as you go hour to hour.

Exactly the same message in today’s Verse of the Day!